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As much as I love the job at the bookstore, the terrible pay and complete lack of hours is making it impossible to pay my bills, much less have money left over for gas or groceries.
And I've kind of moved into the city with my boyfriend even though I don't pay rent and I'm now even further from my job. He's been feeding me and helping me out when things are tight (though I always pay him back.) But I'd like to contribute and start saving for a place of our own.
My work experience is limited. Worked at a movie theater in high school, worked at another when I was on holiday from college, then spent a few tortured months at a bank, and then six months at the bookstore. Searching through job listings, I have no idea what I'm qualified for. Since I don't get my bachelor's degree until I graduate in August, that also limits my job offerings but it makes me think that I would be okay with taking just any job right now as I'll probably be looking for something better in the Fall/Winter.
I would prefer regular weekday hours as I'm sick of the crazy scheduling of retail jobs. So I'm thinking office work, clerical jobs, or being a receptionist. I'm decent with computers, type well, and am used to answering phones.
So if I look into applying a temp agency, what should I expect? What kinds of jobs are available? I know some jobs will move temporary workers into permanent positions, but how often does this happen? Otherwise, how long do job assignments usually last? How do I find a good temp agency? How long might it be before I find a job?
Otherwise, while I continue my job search, what pointers does everyone have? I think my biggest problem is not being aggressive enough and tending to assume that I'm not qualified.
Posts: 1733 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I've been with temp agencies twice - and both times one of my temp assignments turned into a permanent job. If you are punctual, work hard, smile, and dress professionally, often you will be able to get a permanent job out of them.
Depends on the assignment of course. If they are bringing you in to work for an open position, then you have a better chance of getting hired than if they hire you for someone on maternity leave, and the job ends in six months. Even if that happens, you may have a shot at another position in the same company.
Good qualified receptionists are worth their weight in gold. When I used to work in the corporate world, we had the hardest time keeping that position staffed with people who were polite, articulate, and smart enough to know how to handle customers on the phone.
I *loved* being a receptionist, BTW. I always left the position for something with higher pay, but twice I've worked as a receptionist and it was always my favorite job. I would always get some "busy work" to fill the times between phone calls, but for the most part I really enjoyed the job.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Unfortunately, all the questions you ask vary widely according to where you are, when you are looking, which agencies you're going through, what type of job you're looking for, etc. The only real consitency is that the pay is terrible.
But I've had decent luck with temp agencies in the past. When I got out of school (for Fine Arts), I was qualified to do absolutely nothing. I had a PC though, so I bought a computer program to teach me to type, and I got my wpm up to 60, my kph up to 10k, and then I was viable as a temp for data entry (if looking for data entry, most temp agencies will make you take their own typing test). I was kept employed very regularly as such.
The work was generally boring, but it was work. Assignments can range between 1 day and indefinitely. If you go that route, I recommend registering with more than one (some don't like that but, hey, they're there for you, you're not there for them), be specific about the kind of work you want (if they call you for an assignment and you turn it down X times, you get put at the bottom of the list), and let them know you're looking for temp to perm (if in fact you are). My currenct job, which I have been working for 5 years, was a temp to perm job. But even if you don't get one of those, it's a decent way to get income coming in while looking. If you're looking for perm, don't rely on them to find one for you - keep looking while they are keeping you working.
Posts: 1080 | Registered: Apr 2006
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I've used temp agencies a lot as an employee over the years. Though part of what they do when they interview you (if they're much good) is figure out where you'd fit well.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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It's going to be tough finding a job through a temp agency this summer with unemployment so high, but good luck!
Posts: 1592 | Registered: Jan 2001
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Yeah, I recently called a temp agency--they're booking up for appointments pretty fast.
It really depends on where you live. I know you're saying you don't like crazy hours, but working at a restaurant can really pay off. Some restaurants love hiring servers who have work experience, but no serving experience. They view them as a hard worker with a clean slate. Places like Olive Garden, Applebee's, and other mid-priced restaurants do this, and it's grad season soon--a great time for working in a restaurant.
It might drive you crazy (it drives me crazy) but it pays the bills more than adequately, and if you live in a bustling metropolitan area, there should be plenty of jobs (even with the economy the way it is.)
Posts: 368 | Registered: Aug 2007
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I've thought about waitressing and if I put off my job search until mid-summer, I may take it up. But right now my boyfriend is teaching and if he's working weekdays and I'm working nights and weekends, we'd never see each other. But he may go back to working at a restaurant in a month or two and then I'll care less about the hours.
So far I'm not having much luck finding temp agencies with very many job listings. I'm finding a few clerical/receptionist listings on job websites though.
I'll need to revise my resume to emphasize my computer and soft skills. Any have any tips for how to do this effectively? And how can I sound more appealing if I'm not 100% qualified? For instance, I'm rusty when it comes to Microsoft Word and unfamiliar with Access, but when someone tells me what they want done, I'm usually pretty good at figuring it out in a timely manner.
Posts: 1733 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I found that having a good typing speed (around 80 WPM at least) and saying "proficient with Microsoft Word and Excel" is a standard for getting that kind of position. And though this may sound unethical, saying that you're proficient at something when you're not, but can learn to the point where it's negligible, it doesn't really matter. Government jobs will test you on these skills, and but many independent businesses probably won't. If you feel like you're tech savvy enough to learn quickly, just say that you're proficient with Microsoft Office.
Posts: 368 | Registered: Aug 2007
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Microsoft has several online training courses for pretty much all of their Office products. You could easily get yourself up to a passable knowledge through these.
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You are graduating in August? I would not think it would be too early to start looking for jobs in your career field. As long as you specify in your cover letter the details (that you need to work certain hours until August). What is your degree in? Have you developed a resume? Have you considered doing an internship (some are paid and some aren't)? I don't think you will find much at a temp agency.
Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
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Most temp agencies test applicants for office positions in relevant office software (usually Word and Excel.) If nothing else, these tests usually reveal that you are perfectly competent and can figure out what you don't know off hand.
I must, in good conscience, warn, though: having temp agencies in your past is not always a good thing. Some are great about finding temp-to-hire positions, and that's fine, but having numerous temporary positions in your resume often requires explanation, and some employers seem to think anyone who's worked with temp agencies for an extended period of time is flaky and unreliable. (In my experience, anyway.)
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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I'm actually working on a placement right now, and I wouldn't say that's the case.
But yeah, the software skills tests for temp agencies are pretty standard across the board, so you could take a battery of them at once agency, brush up, and then take them again at another.
Also, I am amazed at how much more accounting and legal clerical jobs pay. If you have any way of learning quickbooks, it is a very valuable skill.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I'll check into quickbooks. My dad does some accounting so maybe he can give me a quick tutorial. And thanks for the Microsoft training link.
My degree is in liberal arts and I've been thinking about going into publishing. But its becoming a very Masters-required field and I haven't had much luck finding employers in the area where I could get a taste of the job before I cough up the cash for more schooling. I had a couple of leads but they all died (including an internship which would be great if I was still in school and able to work 40 hours a week without pay.) I'm still looking but with a limited amount of hope.
Posts: 1733 | Registered: Apr 2005
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KPC says Quickbooks is a cinch to learn (but then, he's an accounting type.) He also says to make sure you're up on your Excel.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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